Manatee finalizes superintendent shortlist

Published: Wednesday, January 30, 2013 at 9:55 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, January 30, 2013 at 9:55 p.m.

BRADENTON - After nearly five months without a permanent leader in place, the Manatee County School District took a major step Wednesday to selecting its next superintendent.

A vetting group finalized a list of five names for the superintendent opening and will present its recommendations to the school board at a special meeting scheduled for this morning. That is when board members will ultimately decide which finalists to talk to in interviews scheduled for Feb. 11 and 12.

For officials, it is a crucial hire given the district's financial troubles and accounting missteps that were detailed during a forensic audit earlier this month. The district was left without a top administrator when former Superintendent Tim McGonegal resigned abruptly on Sept. 10 after he revealed a $3.4 million deficit in the general fund.

The new superintendent will the district's third leader since then.

McGonegal was replaced by assistant superintendent Bob Gagnon, who insisted to School Board members that he was the only person who could step in immediately to right the problems facing the district.

“I think you guys need me, more than I need this right now,” Gagnon told the board shortly after McGonegal resigned.

His tenure was short-lived, however.

Two weeks after Gagnon took over, the district turned to David Gayler, a veteran education administrator who led Charlotte County schools for eight years — including through the devastation wrought by Hurricane Charley — before retiring in January 2011.

“Right now, people are tired. Morale is low,” said Pat Barber, president of the Manatee Educations Association, the teachers' union. “Everybody is anxious.”

The citizen search committee and Wayne Blanton, executive of Florida School Boards Association, agreed on the list of five finalists from a field of 28 applicants. The names are:

• Diana Greene, deputy superintendent of curriculum and instruction in Marion County public schools.

• Kathryn LeRoy, director of high school programs for Duval County public schools.

• Rick Mills, chief executive officer of Minneapolis public schools.

• Pamela Stewart, Florida's interim commissioner of education.

Blanton, who was to attend Wednesday and today's meetings, was sick, officials said, adding that his top five choices were the same as the citizen committee's. “Any one of the five candidates he has chosen and we have chosen will do a wonderful job,” said Dr. Richard Conard, chair of the citizen committee.

The committee plans to ask questions and sit in on the superintendent interviews next month.

The district's goal is for the new superintendent to start by April 1 to replace Gayler, who steps down at the end of March.

<p><em>BRADENTON</em> - After nearly five months without a permanent leader in place, the Manatee County School District took a major step Wednesday to selecting its next superintendent.</p><p>A vetting group finalized a list of five names for the superintendent opening and will present its recommendations to the school board at a special meeting scheduled for this morning. That is when board members will ultimately decide which finalists to talk to in interviews scheduled for Feb. 11 and 12. </p><p>For officials, it is a crucial hire given the district's financial troubles and accounting missteps that were detailed during a forensic audit earlier this month. The district was left without a top administrator when former Superintendent Tim McGonegal resigned abruptly on Sept. 10 after he revealed a $3.4 million deficit in the general fund.</p><p>The new superintendent will the district's third leader since then.</p><p>McGonegal was replaced by assistant superintendent Bob Gagnon, who insisted to School Board members that he was the only person who could step in immediately to right the problems facing the district.</p><p>“I think you guys need me, more than I need this right now,” Gagnon told the board shortly after McGonegal resigned.</p><p>His tenure was short-lived, however.</p><p>Two weeks after Gagnon took over, the district turned to David Gayler, a veteran education administrator who led Charlotte County schools for eight years — including through the devastation wrought by Hurricane Charley — before retiring in January 2011.</p><p>“Right now, people are tired. Morale is low,” said Pat Barber, president of the Manatee Educations Association, the teachers' union. “Everybody is anxious.” </p><p>The citizen search committee and Wayne Blanton, executive of Florida School Boards Association, agreed on the list of five finalists from a field of 28 applicants. The names are:</p><p>• Diana Greene, deputy superintendent of curriculum and instruction in Marion County public schools.</p><p>• Constance Jones, chief academic officer for Lee County public schools.</p><p>• Kathryn LeRoy, director of high school programs for Duval County public schools.</p><p>• Rick Mills, chief executive officer of Minneapolis public schools.</p><p>• Pamela Stewart, Florida's interim commissioner of education. </p><p>Blanton, who was to attend Wednesday and today's meetings, was sick, officials said, adding that his top five choices were the same as the citizen committee's. “Any one of the five candidates he has chosen and we have chosen will do a wonderful job,” said Dr. Richard Conard, chair of the citizen committee.</p><p>The committee plans to ask questions and sit in on the superintendent interviews next month.</p><p>The district's goal is for the new superintendent to start by April 1 to replace Gayler, who steps down at the end of March.</p>